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Gallery: Ali in the ring

World heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali is held back by referee Joe Walcott after Ali knocked out challenger Sonny Liston in 1 minute, 42 seconds of the first round of the scheduled 15 round championship bout in Lewiston, Maine, May 25, 1965.

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Gallery: Ali in the ring

World heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali is held back by referee Joe Walcott after Ali knocked out challenger Sonny Liston in 1 minute, 42 seconds of the first round of the scheduled 15 round championship bout in Lewiston, Maine, May 25, 1965. (Associated Press)

Muhammad Ali, left, 20-year-old undefeated heavyweight, ducks away from a long right thrown by George Logan in the third round of their scheduled 10-rounder at Los Angeles April 23, 1962. The referee stopped the fight in the fourth round, awarding Ali a knockout victory under California rules. (Associated Press)

Cassius Clay weighs in at 204 pounds for his 12-round heavyweight fight in Los Angeles, California, November 15, 1962, against Archie Moore, left, who came in at 197 pounds. Adjusting the scales is Clayton Frye, secretary of the California Athletic Commission. (Associated Press)

Down on one knee, "Ancient" Archie Moore reaches the end of his gallant ring career in Los Angeles, California, November 15, 1962, as young Cassius Clay stands over him, winner by a knockout in the fourth round of a scheduled 12-rounder. Moore went down three times before the referee, Tommy Hart, ended the fight. (Associated Press)

Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay), right, lands on Don Warner's jaw in an early exchange of their fight in Miami Beach, Fla., February 28, 1962 with a straight right. It was the same punch which knocked Warner through the ropes in Round 4 and headed him for a technical knockout as the fight was stopped soon after he climbed back to the canvas. (Associated Press)

British heavyweight champion Henry Cooper, right, is pictured throwing a long right to the jaw of Cassius Clay during their bout in London, England, June 18, 1963. Cooper's left eye is bloody from a cut opened by Clay in the third round. The American boxer from Louisville was downed by Cooper in the fourth round, but was saved by the bell and returned to make good on his prophesy by stopping Cooper in the fifth. (Associated Press)

World heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali works out on the light punching bag at his training camp in Chicopee, Ma., on May 13, 1965. His title bout against Sonny Liston is on May 25 in Lewiston. Ali told news reporters he's getting "so sharp" that he is taking tomorrow off. (Associated Press)

Floyd Patterson appears groggy with his knees about to go under as champion Muhammad Ali whips another sweeping right to his face a moment before their heavyweight title fight was stopped at Las Vegas, Nevada, November 22, 1965. Referee Harry Krause stepped in to call it a 12th-round technical knockout. (Associated Press)

Heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali smashes a right into the jaw of challenger Brian London of Britain, Aug. 6, 1966, in London. Ali knocked out his opponent in the third round for his fifth successful defense of the heavyweight championship title. (Associated Press)

World champion Muhammad Ali is shown throwing a long right to British challenger Henry Cooper's split eye in the sixth round of their world heavyweight championship fight at Highbury Stadium, London, England, May 21, 1966. Ali retained his title after referee George Smith stopped the fight in 1 minute 38 seconds of the sixth round when Cooper was badly cut about his left eye. (Associated Press)

World heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali is shown working on the bloodied left eye of challenger Henry Cooper in the sixth round, May 21, 1966, of their title fight in London, England. Ali retained his crown when the referee stopped the bout later in the round because of the cut over Cooper's eye. (Associated Press)

Cleveland Williams is spread-eagled on the canvas as referee Harry Kessler sends Muhammad Ali to a neutral corner during their heavyweight bout at the Astrodome in Houston, Nov. 14, 1966. (Associated Press)

Champion Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) raises his hands over his head after knocking challenger Zora Folley down in fourth round of their heavyweight title fight in New York's Madison Square Garden March 22, 1967. Referee John Lo Bianco moves toward Clay, who won on a seventh round knockout. (Associated Press)

Muhammad Ali lands a hard right to the swollen left eye of Ernie Terrell in the fourth round of their heavyweight championship fight in Houston, Tex., Feb. 6, 1967. Ali continued to pound the damaged eye during the round. (Associated Press)

Muhammad Ali raises his arms in victory following the end of the 15-round heavyweight title fight with Ernie Terrell in Houston, Tex., Feb. 6, 1967. Referee Harry Kessler looks at the battered Terrell before getting out his pad to note his decision. Ali won by unanimous decision. (Associated Press)

Jerry Quarry slams a left to Muhammad Ali's mouth in the second round knocking Ali back in Atlanta, Ga. on October 26, 1970. The fight, scheduled to go 15 rounds, was stopped after the third round after Quarry' s eye was badly battered. Muhammad All, the former heavyweight champion of the world, won his title under the name of Cassius Clay . Ali won his first fight in 3 1/2 years. (Associated Press)

Joe Frazier is directed to the ropes by referee Arthur Marcante after knocking down Muhammad Ali during the 15th round of the title bout in Madison Square Garden in New York. Frazier won the bout over Ali by decision. (Associated Press)

Muhammad Ali stands in the corner as referee Mills Lane makes the count on Bob Foster after he was knocked down in the seventh round of their bout in Stateline, Nev., Nov. 22, 1972. The bell rang before the count was completed. Ali went on to knock out Foster in the eighth. (Associated Press)

Jerry Quarry winces as a left by Muhammad Ali catches him on the side of the head while Ali blocks Quarry's right during their heavyweight fight in Las Vegas, June 27, 1972. Ali was declared the winner when the referee stopped the fight in the seventh round. (Associated Press)

Ken Norton goes to the body of Muhammad Ali in the corner during their 12 round heavyweight bout at the Sports Arena in San Diego, California, March 31, 1973. Norton won on a split decision. (Associated Press)

Challenger Muhammad Ali watches as defending world champion George Foreman goes down to the canvas in the eighth round of their WBA/WBC championship match in Kinshasa, Zaire, on October 30, 1974. Foreman is counted out by the referee and Ali regains the world heavyweight crown by KO in the bout dubbed 'Rumble in the Jungle.' (Associated Press)

Perspiration flies from the head of George Foreman as he takes a right from challenger Muhammad Ali in the seventh round in the match dubbed Rumble in the Jungle in Kinshasa, Zaire, Oct. 30, 1974. Foreman was knocked out in the eighth round. The referee, left, is Zack Clayton. (AP Photo/Ed Kolenovsky)

Muhammad Ali, arms raised in victory, walks to his corner as referee Zack Clayton counts out George Foreman after Ali knocked him down in the eighth round of their title bout in Kinshasa, Zaire, October 30, 1974. (Associated Press)

In this Oct. 30, 1974 file photo, referee Zack Clayton, right, steps in after challenger Muhammad Ali looks on after knocking down defending heavyweight champion George Foreman in the eighth round of their championship bout in Kinshasa, Zaire. Ali regained the world heavyweight crown by knockout in the eighth round of the fight dubbed "Rumble in the Jungle." (Associated Press)

Heavyweight boxer Joe Frazier grimaces after Muhammad Ali landed a blow to Frazier's head during fight action of their heavyweight bout in Manila, the Philippines on Oct. 1, 1975. Ali won the fight after Frazier's manager stopped the fight in the fourteenth round. (Associated Press)

Muhammad Ali is sprawled on the canvas in his corner of the ring after he collapsed off his chair before the start of the 15th round in bout against Joe Frazier at the Coliseum in Manila, Oct. 1, 1975. (Associated Press)

President Ferdinand Marcos, left, of the Philippines, presents the President's Trophy to heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, second from right, after Ali defeated Joe Frazier in their "Thrilla in Manila" fight at the Coliseum in Manila, Oct. 1, 1975. Posing from left are, President Marcos; promoter Don King; Ali's brother, Rahman; Ali, and his father Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr., right. (Associated Press)

Defending heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali goes down in the ninth round of the title bout against challenger Chuck Wepner, from Bayonne, N.J., at the Richfield Coliseum, in Cleveland, Ohio, on March 24, 1975. Ali tripped over Wepner's foot, but the referee ruled it as a knockdown. Ali later knocked out Wepner in the 15th round to retain his title. (Associated Press)

Chuck Wepner falls to the canvas as heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali stands over him during the 15th round of their title bout at Cleveland Coliseum, Monday night, March 24, 1975. Ali retained his title with the knockout. (Associated Press)

Challenger Chuck Wepner lies on the canvas after he is knocked out by his opponent, defending heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, in the 15th round of their title bout at the Richfield Coliseum, in Cleveland, Ohio, on March 24, 1975. The referee is Tony Perez. (Associated Press)

World heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali hits Chuck Wepner with a right during their title bout in the Cleveland Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio, Monday night, March 24, 1975. Ali knocked Wepner out with only 19 seconds remaining of the 15th round, prompting referee Tony Perez to stop the fight. (Associated Press)

Referee Tony Perez counts out challenger Chuck Wepner, from Bayonne, N.J., after he is knocked out by his opponent, defending heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, in the 15th round of their title bout at the Richfield Coliseum, in Cleveland, Ohio, on March 24, 1975. (Associated Press)

American heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali, right, talks to newsmen after the fight with Belgian heavyweight Jean-Pierre Coopman, left, who he knocked out in the fifth round, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Feb. 21, 1976. Coopman's wife sits between the two fighters. (Associated Press)

Japanese pro wrestler Antonio Inoki kicks the back of Muhammad Ali's leg in an attempt to trip him down on the mat during their boxing-wrestling bout at the Budokan Hall in Tokyo, June 26, 1976. Inoki challenged the World Heavyweight boxing champion in a 15-round fight billed as "World Martial Arts Championship." But the fight ended in a draw before the 14,000 spectators who paid from 17 to 1,000 U.S. dollars for their seats. Ali was to receive 6.1 million dollars and Inoki up to 4 million. At right is American referee Gene Lebell. (Associated Press)

Heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali knocks challenger Ken Norton back with a right hand punch in the 14th round of their title fight Tuesday night. Ali retained his title with a decision win in the 15-round fight in New York's Yankee Stadium on Sept. 28, 1976. (Associated Press)

Challenger Ken Norton, left, and heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali trade right punches to the face in the late rounds of their title fight in New York's Yankee Stadium Tuesday night., September 28, 1976. Ali retained his title on a decision in the 15-round bout. (Associated Press)

World heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali keeps challenger Jimmy Young up against the ropes during their championship fight at Landover, Md., Friday, April 30, 1976. Ali won in a unanimous decision in fifteen rounds. (Associated Press)

Image shows American boxer Muhammad Ali, right, and his opponent, American boxer Earnie Shavers, during the first round of their heavyweight title fight at Madison Square Garden, Sep. 29, 1977. (Associated Press)

Muhammad Ali is shown connecting a right cross to the head of challenger Leon Spinks during third round action, February 15, 1978, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Spinks upset Ali, winning a 15-round split decision. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

Challenger Muhammad Ali is pictured grimacing after champion Leon Spinks landed a left during their heavyweight title bout at the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, September 16, 1978. Ali regained the title with a 15-round unanimous decision. (Associated Press)

Heavyweight fighters Muhammad Ali, left, and Leon Spinks, are shown in third round action as they tangled Friday night, September 15, 1978 at New Orleans' Superdome during their championship bout. Ali regained his title for an unprecedented third time by defeating Spinks in a unanimous 15-round decision. (Associated Press)

Challenger Muhammad Ali, right, gives WBC heavyweight champion Larry Holmes a wide-eyed look during their WBC championship title fight, October 2, 1980, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Holmes won the bout and retained his title when Ali failed to answer the bell at the start of the 11th round. (Associated Press)

Homecoming for Louisville Lip: Former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali (right) sizes up Walter Santamore for an opening punch during their four-round exhibition match on Oct. 30, 1980 at Commonwealth Convention Center. Proceeds went to the campaign fund of Jefferson County sheriff candidate Joe Martin. (By Robert Steinau The Courier-Journal)

Muhammad Ali, right, takes a punch from Trevor Berbick, of Canada, during the first round of their 10-round bout in Nassau, Bahamas, in this Dec. 11, 1981 file photo. Ali, who lost on a unanimous decision, fought his last fight. (Associated Press)